Game board with tapered pockets and rollable discs of different diameters



June 4, 1968 R. H. BURGESS 3,386,737

GAME BOARD WITH TAPERED POCKET-S AND ROLLABLE DISCS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS Filed April 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

RICHARD H. BURGESS BY WM ATTORNEY June 4, 1968 R. H. BURGESS 3,336,737

GAME BOARD WITH TAPERED POCKETS AND ROLLABLE DISCS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS Filed April 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

RICHARD H. BURGESS ATTORNEY 3,386,737 GAME BOARD WITH TAPERED POCKETS AND ROLLABLE DlSfIS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS Richard H. Burgess, 214 N. Main St., Poynette, Wis. 53955 Filed Apr. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 451,501 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-126) ABSTRACT 01? THE DISCLOSURE A game comprising a game board having a forward runway and a rearward pocket portion with a plurality of tapered pockets formed therein and a plurality of game pieces in the form of discs of various sizes adapted to be rolled along the runway and into the pockets. The purpose of the game is to cause the discs to be propelled along the game board so as to be lodged in the highest point-value pockets which are behind the lesser point-valve pockets. The relationship of the size of the discs to the pockets is such that each disc when lodged in a pocket will substantially alter the contour of the game board differently for discs subsequently propelled thereacross. The carton portion of the game comprises a gutter for catching game pieces projected beyond the end and off the sides of the pocket portion of the game board during playing of the game.

This invention relates to a new and improved game apparatus and more particularly to a surface projectile type game apparatus.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved game apparatus employing surface projectiles, the playing of which requires a unique combination of manual skill, mental acumen and chance.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved game apparatus comprising a game board having a runway and a pocket portion having a plurality of spaced pockets formed therein, and having a plurality of game pieces adapted to be propelled on the game board. The purpose of the game is to cause the game pieces to be propelled on the game board so as to be lodged in the highest point valued pockets which are more remote from the runway than lesser point valued pockets.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved game apparatus having a game board and a plurality of game pieces adapted to be successively propelled on the game board wherein each game piece may substantially alter the contour of the game board for game pieces subsequently propelled thereon.

Another object of my invention is to provide a projectile type game apparatus wherein the pockets of the game board take on various characteristics when influenced by game pieces lodged therein and in which the game pieces behave in several individual characteristic manners when cooperating with the game board and with each other.

Still another object of my invention is providing a new and improved game apparatus wherein the carton for storing the game board and game pieces is adapted to form a gutter for catching game pieces propelled off the rear end and off the sides of the game board during playing of the game.

Further objects, features, and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred exemplary embodiment and a modified form of my invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of my game apnited States Patent paratus set up for playing as it appears from a playing position.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of my game apparatus set up for playing with the high backstop removed.

FIG. 3 is a side of a plurality of game pieces of my game apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an end view of a game piece of my game apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line A-A of FIG. 2 showing a game piece transversing a pocket in the game board.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2 showing a game piece of the runway of the game board and a plurality of game pieces lodged in the pockets of the game board.

FIG. 7 shows a modified form of my game apparatus partially in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the game board 10 of my game apparatus set up for playing. Generally the game board 10 comprises a forwardly disposed runway portion 11 which is nearest the player and a rearwardly disposed pocket portion 12 having a plurality of pockets 13 formed therein. A plurality of game pieces 14 are shown in FIG. 3 in the form of discs which are adapted to be rolled by a player along the runway and onto the pocket portion of the game board with the objective of lodging as many pieces as possible in the most rearward pockets.

The game board 10 is preferably made of plastic and the runway 11 and the pocket portion 12 may be hinged together, such as by hinge 15 as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The runway portion 11 is preferably covered with felt 16 or other suitable covering. The runway portion and the pocket portion each have four legs 17 for supporting the board on a supporting surface such as a table or the like.

For exemplification there is shown in the drawings a generally rectangular game board 10 having 12 pockets 13 arranged in four transverse rows and three longitudinal rows. The length of the board shown is approximately 2% times its Width. More specifically, it is 26 inches long and ten inches wide, the runway portion and pocket portion being of equal length. The height of the board need be only as great as the depth of the pockets 13, but as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the height may be somewhat greater than the pocket depth so that the bottoms 18 of the pockets 13 are raised off of the supporting surface. It is understood that the board is not confined to this particular number of pockets or arrangement thereof nor to the specific dimensions set forth herein.

While several variations of the game may be played with my apparatus, generally, the objective of the players is to roll the game pieces 14 along the runway 11 and onto the pocket portion 12 of the game board in such a manner as to lodge as many game pieces as possible in the least accessible pockets, that is, the pockets farthest from the player. Thus, the most inaccessible or remote pockets provide a goal in which the player attempts to lodge his disc while the nearer pockets provide obstacles which must be traversed in order to reach the rear pockets and which may deter or capture a players pieces. Generally, the point value of the pockets increases from front to rear, thus, for example, the first transverse row of holes may have a point value of minus 2, the second transverse row having a point value of plus 1, the third transverse row having a point value of plus 3, while the fourth, the most rearward row, has a value of plus 10. In other words, a player is penalized should any of his discs lodge in the first transverse row of pockets and can score a progressively greater number of points should his pieces lodge in more rearwardly disposed pockets.

The relationship between the size of the game pieces the size of the pockets is an important aspect of my game apparatus, as will now be pointed out.

The pockets 13, as shown in the drawings for exemplification, are all of equal size and have a top diameter of about 2 /3 inches and the walls 39 thereof taper down to a 2 inch diameter at the bottom 18 of the pockets. The pockets shown have a depth of about 1 /8 inches. The dimensions of the pockets may, of course, vary substantially from these dimensions and their size is important only in relation to the size of the game pieces 14.

Referring now more particularly to the game pieces 14, a representative sample of the discs of my apparatus is shown in FIG. 3. While only four different sizes are shown, it is understood that several more sizes could be utilized and that any suitable number of discs may be employed.

The largest disc 29 has a diameter of about 2% inches, that is, substantially the same diameter as the top diameter of pockets 13. :Due to the fact that all of the discs have a rounded edge 24, as shown in the edge view of disc in FIG. 4, disc 20 will lodge in the pockets in such a manner that it will protrude above the top sur face of the pocket portion 12 of the board as seen in FIG. 6 and will, thus, act as a bumper for deflecting subsequently rolled discs. If subsequently rolled discs which strike the rounded edge of this obstacle near the center of the disc 20, they may be bounced into the air and continue toward the higher valued pockets at the rear of the pocket portion of the board. However, if subsequently rolled discs are rolled with too much speed, they may be bounced into the air by protruding disc 20 and overshoot the succeeding pockets and landing at the rear end of the board or perhaps beyond. FIG. 5 shows disc 20 as it might transverse a pocket in the game board.

One or more of the discs may be of the size such as that disc shown at 21 which has a diameter of approximately 2% inches. Discs of this size will form a substantially level bridge across the pockets into which they fall, that is, the upwardly facing side of discs like 21 will be at substantially the same elevation as the surface of the pocket portion of the board, such as disc 21 shown at FIG. 6. Therefore, in certain instances depending upon the game situation, it may behoove a player to lodge one or more discs of this size in the forward pockets to form a substantially smooth pathway so that the remainder of the players discs can be more easily rolled into the rear pockets of higher point value.

Other discs may be of the same size as disc 22 shown in FIG. 3 which has a diameter of about 2% inches. When discs of this size are lodged in the pockets they will be suspended at about half the depth of the pockets so that their upwardly facing side is somewhat lower than the top surface of the board such as disc 22 shown in FIG. 6. Discs of this size, thus, provide a somewhat depressed bridge across the pockets in which they lodge.

Still other discs may be of the size of disc 23 of FIG. 3 which has a diameter of about 2 inches. Discs of this size will fall all the way to the bottom of the pockets, as shown in FIG. 6, to form a bridge which is even more depressed than the bridge formed by the disc 22.

It is apparent that rolling discs which encounter pockets with discs such as 22 or 23 therein forming depressed bridges, will require less force to traverse such pockets than pockets without such bridges.

The discs are all preferably about 5 of an inch thick, that is, about the depth of the pockets, and they may be made of hard rubber, wood, plastic, or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the discs may be provided with central holes 25 to facilitate the picking up and handling of the discs with the fingers.

The decrease in the depth of a pocket by virtue of having a disc such as 22 or 23 lodged therein is such that it causes subsequently rolled discs which roll into such a pocket to climb up the far wall of the pocket without loosing as much of its impetus as it would otherwise have lost had the pocket been empty. Therefore, the disc will continue on its way more rapidly than it otherwise would have. This factor must be taken into account by the player whose objective it is to roll his discs with sufiicicnt speed and stability that they will not be held captive by the first or second transverse rows of pockets which they encounter, but which will continue on their course and lodge in the most rearward pockets which yield the highest scores.

Throughout the game the players must guard against having their pieces moved down the straight aisles 26, that is, the part of the surface of the pocket portion which runs between the rows of pockets because the pieces will then overshoot the board without even touching a pocket. However, a player may attempt to have his pieces move slowly down these aisles in such a manner as to lose their stability near the far end of the board so that they tip over into one of the rear pockets. This maneuver of course, requires a rather high degree of skill.

The carton, generally shown at 27, in FIG. 1, is designed to have the remainder of my game apparatus stored therein and has a cover 28 and a receptacle 29. Both the cover and the receptacle portion form important elements of the game during playing of the game. The receptacle portion 29 is provided with a side panel 30 which is hinged to the remainder of the receptacle portion at its bottom edge as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The folding down of this side panel facilitates the placing of the pocket portion 12 of the game board 10 into the receptacle portion 29 of the carton in such a manner as to form a gutter 31 on both sides of pocket portion 12 and at the end thereof, for catching game pieces which are propelled off the sides or the end of the pocket portion. The cover 28 of the carton may be positioned as shown in FIG. 1 to provide an elevated backstop for the game. Preferably the inside of the cover may be printed with a diagram 32 0f the pocket portion of the game board showing the point value of the pockets to the players. The cover 28 may also have the rules of the game printed thereon so as to be in view of the players during the playing of the game.

FIG. 7 shows a slightly modified form of my game apparatus wherein the pocket portion 34 of the game board 33 is held in the receptacle portion 35 of a carton in a fixed position. The side panel 36 of the carton which is adjacent the forward end of the pocket portion 34 extends only a portion of the height of the game board so that the runway portion 37 may be pivoted downwardly about hinge 38 to such a position that the side panel 36 extends upwardly between the runway portion 37 and the pocket portion 34 of the game board 33. In this form of carton, an inverted channel shaped member 40 is provided at the rear end of the pocket portion 34 of the board for maintaining the pocket portion in position in the carton and for providing a gutter 39 at the end of the pocket portion for receiving discs rolled off the end of the pocket portion. As shown in FIG. 7, the playing pieces 14 of the game may be stacked in the channel 39 for storage.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the playing of my game apparatus calls for considerable strategy by the players in that they must determine the manner in which they desire to have the game pieces work in cooperation with one another and with the game board, taking into account their size, weight and speed.

It is also apparent that the pockets serve a two-fold purpose in that they act as receptacles for the playing pieces for registering a score and the forward pockets serve as obstacles which must be encountered and traversed by the playing pieces for successful playing of the game.

It is also evident that the contour of the game board is constantly changed by the playing pieces. The pockets which are obstacles encountered by the game pieces do not remain constant, but are varied by a playing piece which may be lodged therein to alter the depth of the pocket or which may actually turn the pocket into a raised obstacle or bumper protruding above the top surface of the pocket portion of the board. Thus, the pockets take on various characteristics when influenced by the game pieces lodged therein and the game pieces behave in several individual characteristic manners when cooperating with the game board and with one another.

Several obvious variations may be incorporated into the construction of the game board or playing pieces without departing from the scope of my invention. The board may be constructed with a flange on the sides or at the rear end, or with posts in the aisles between the pockets to deflect the game pieces, or with ruts or ridges on the runway portion or between the pockets.

It is understood that my invention is not confined to the particular construction, arrangement of parts, or dimensions herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as may come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising:

(a) a game board having a forwardly disposed runway and a rearwardly disposed pocket portion, said pocket portion having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, equal sized, downwardly tapered pockets formed therein,

(b) a plurality of game pieces in the form of discs of various diameters adapted to be rolled along said runway into said pockets,

(c) at least one of said discs having a diameter such that when it is received in one of said pockets at least a portion of it extends above the surface of the pocket portion for deflecting subsequently rolled discs,

(d) at least one of said discs having a diameter such that when it is received in one of said pockets its upwardly facing side is substantially flush with the surface of said pocket portion for forming a bridge across the pocket for subsequently rolled discs,

(e) at least one of said discs having a diameter such that when it is received in one of said pockets its upwardly facing side is below the surface of said game portion and its downwardly facing surface is spaced above the bottom of said pocket, and

(f) at least one of said discs having a diameter such that when it is received in one of said pockets it rests on the bot-tom thereof.

2. The game apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said discs have a uniform thickness which is about onehalf the depth of said pockets.

3. A game apparatus comprising:

(a) a game board having a forwardly disposed runway and a rearwardly disposed pocket portion, said pocket portion having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, downwardly tapered pockets formed therein,

('b) a plurality of game pieces in the form of discs of various diameters adapted to be rolled along said runway into said pockets, and

(c) at least one of said discs having a diameter such that when said one disc is received in one of said pockets at least a portion of said disc extends above the surface of the pocket portion of the game board for deflecting subsequently rolled discs.

4. A game apparatus comprising:

(a) a game board having a forwardly disposed runway and a rearwardly disposed pocket portion, said pocket portion having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, downwardly tapered pockets formed therein,

(b) a plurality of game pieces in the form of discs of various diameters adapted to be rolled along said runway into said pockets, and

(c) at least one of said discs having a diameter such that when said disc is received in one of said pockets, its upwardly facing side will be substantially flush with the surface of the pocket portion of said game board for forming a bridge across said pocket for subsequently rolled discs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,294,873 2/ 1919 Canivet 273126 1,496,721 6/1924 Martin 273-115 1,557,014 10/1925 Bohn 273- 113 2,551,318 5/1951 Drew 273-136 2,954,978 10/ 1960 Towle 273126 FOREIGN PATENTS 476,811 9/1951 Canada.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Examiner.

T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner. 

